Fic: Moment (1/1)
Title: Moment
Author: icetippedwings
Genre: Gen
Characters: Sam, Castiel, Dean
Pairings: None (could be Sassy with some squinting though)
Warnings: None
Spoilers: Through 6.15
Wordcount: 1989
A/N: Well, been meaning to get into writing fic for Supernatural for ages now, but only just finally got something finished. First time writing these guys, so don't hesitate to offer up CC or suggestions. I hope you all enjoy. ♥
****
Even now, nearly three years after his first meeting with one, Sam Winchester wasn't entirely sure what he thought about angels.
Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true, because he had a pretty firm opinion on most angels: They were dicks. Dean was completely right on that. As a whole, angels seemed to be vindictive, self-centered, arrogant, and generally unfriendly. For some time, Sam had been greatly disappointed by this; he'd believed in the legends and folklore about angels being righteous, fair, compassionate guardians, and realizing that seemed to be pretty far from the truth had broken his heart a bit. Still, every time he got used to the idea that angels were nothing to look up to, one of them would do something that restored his faith a bit.
Usually, that 'one' was Castiel, better known as Cas, at least to the brothers Winchester. Things had gotten off to a rocky start between Sam and Castiel, even rockier than they had been with Dean and the angel, but over the two years spanning the breaking of the seals and the apocalypse, they had grown close enough to be considered good friends, as far as Sam was concerned (it was hard being certain of Castiel's opinion on anything, as the angel seemed allergic to saying more than one sentence at a time to anyone not named Dean.)
Sometimes, Sam even found himself feeling that same sense of awe he'd had the first time he'd met Castiel, which amazed him a bit considering everything they'd all gone through. But when he really thought about it, he supposed it made sense; Castiel was the only angel that really did exemplify the traits Sam had admired in the idealized notion of angels that he'd had before. That wasn't to say Castiel was all fluffy wings and halos--anything but, really--but he was protective, loyal, brave, and good. Sam didn't have many things he could file under good in his life, and so anything, or anyone, that made that list was pretty much on a pedestal. Permanently.
Mostly, that was why Sam was a little less pissed off than his brother about the con Castiel and Balthazar had just pulled on them. Note, of course, that 'a little less' wasn't 'not', but was enough less that he left the sulking, angrily muttering Dean to his beer for a few minutes to sneak off outside. The storm had died down into simply a heavy rain, and though Sam would probably regret going out into it later, right then it didn't bother him.
They had seen Castiel for only a few minutes after their return to their universe, but Sam had been struck by one thing in particular: Castiel looked tired. It hadn't been the angel's usual stoic calm, or even exasperation; Castiel had looked worn, exhausted, and beaten down despite that this should have been a big win for him. With access to the heavenly weapons the angel had been after, and Balthazar apparently as a new ally, Castiel should have appeared much more satisfied than he had. Sam had the distinct feeling that meant it was just a battle won and not the war, and so Sam couldn't help but worry a bit, plain and simple.
So there he was, outside in the rain, eyes closed as he concentrated. Dean's prayers to Castiel bordered between hilarity and blasphemy, but Sam found it uncomfortable to even consider using 'dick' in a prayer, and his deep-seated respect for angels (or at least Castiel in specific) prompted him to address heaven a bit more reservedly, if not traditionally.
"Castiel, hey." He said quietly, voice swallowed up by the sound of the rain yet knowing full well volume wouldn't matter. "I know we just uh, well, parted on kind of bad terms, but please come back. I want to talk to you, just for a minute."
The familiar fluttering noise that sounded like a combination of feathers and cloth sounded from behind him and Sam turned, a little surprised. He really hadn't expected Castiel to show up, especially not so quickly, but there he was, staring at Sam with the oddly blank look he'd had before in Bobby's living room.
"Hey." Sam repeated intelligently. He hesitated, as though the angel might spook if he didn't pick carefully what to say and how to said it. He wanted to ease into conversation, and intended to suggest they go inside, but instead the first and foremost thing he'd been wondering came blurting out instead. "Are you okay?"
There was, for a moment, almost a look of shock on Castiel's face before it was replaced by a curious look of puzzlement, the angel's brows furrowing slightly and his head tilting a few degrees to the side. It was more expression than Sam had seen from him in awhile, he noted. "Why do you ask?"
To Sam, those words said a hundred things. Sure, Dean and Castiel might share a 'more profound bond' or whatever, but Sam had a talent his brother didn't, and it lay in understanding people. Castiel might be an angel, but Sam could still read him, and to him the question had itself been an answer clear as day.
Sam just gave Castiel a look that he knew full well Dean would have called a bitchface, and made a noise that was almost a sigh. That he was soaked, his wet hair hanging around his face pathetically, only added to the pathetic, exasperated effect. "Cas." He didn't have to say anything else.
Castiel's gaze shifted from Sam's eyes to a nearby car, a signal clear enough that even Dean could read; Castiel was either feeling guilty or about to feel guilty, which meant he was probably about to lie. Confirming the assessment a moment later, Castiel responded, "I'm fine, Sam. You have no reason to be concerned about me."
That prompted a frown from the Winchester, and took a step closer. "Cas, that's kind of hard to believe, since we really have no idea at all what's going on with you." He said, easily managing the line between firm and gentle with his tone and words. "It wasn't just that you and Balthazar used us as a diversion that made Dean and me mad, you know, it was that we were in the dark about it. We don't know what's going on but we keep getting caught up in it, and we're worried, not just about us but about you too."
Eyes flickering back to Sam's, Castiel again looked a little puzzled, apparently attempting to figure Sam out or looking at something that the hunter couldn't see. Probably both, really. It took a minute or so for Castiel to speak again, but Sam didn't press, waiting patiently as the angel studied him before finally stating, "It is safer for you both, the less you know."
"I get that." Sam responded, and he did. The less they knew, the less use they were to Raphael or any of Castiel's enemies, and the more likely they'd be left alone. Only problem was that that wasn't really the issue. "I think I can speak for Dean though when I say we don't care all that much about what's safer for us. We deserve to know what's going on, not just because it affects us but because it affects you too. You're our friend, and we're a team, remember?"
Castiel was once again silent, the sound of rain echoing off of the many cars surrounding them both. Sam wasn't as used to angel staring contests as Dean was, but he was more patient than his brother, so again he waited just waited until Castiel finally spoke again. "I remember." He said simply, and softly, and those few words made the hunter's heart clench a moment in sudden realization.
"You're not alone." Sam said impulsively and intensely sincerely, because it was somehow perfectly clear to him that Castiel needed to know that. "Things may seem bad right now, but we're in this together, all three of us. Always."
The look the angel gave him was as close to stunned as Sam had even seen and, without even thinking about it, Sam moved on instinct and pulled the angel into a hug.
As they'd expected, it was awkward, but it was also nice; Sam held firmly to his friend, who to his surprise hesitantly raised his arms and returned the gesture. Castiel was tense and withdrawn and generally not the best hugger in the universe, but that was okay. Sam could hug enough for both of them, cheek resting gently against the top of Castiel's head, arms tightly around the angel.
And that was the scene Dean Winchester happened upon as he went in search of his brother.
"...Friggin' girls." Dean muttered, rolling his eyes and giving a small shake of his head, pulling another drink from his beer. Geez, when had he traded a brother and a might-as-well-be-brother-though-he-was-still-annoyed-with-him for two sisters? "Hey! Samantha, Cassie!"
Sam let go of Castiel and the two took a few steps away from each other as they parted, their attention turning, as one, to Dean. The older Winchester promptly scoffed and raised his voice to be heard over the rain, and across the short distance from where he stood in the doorway to the house.
"Hugging in the rain? Really?" He teased, but he couldn't even manage any good fake disdain for his tone. The sight had been a surprise, and despite his still-there anger, it had honestly warmed him a bit. Which, upon realizing that fact, promptly caused him to almost gag and decide that the girl cooties must be contagious and had gotten to him already. Dean was going to have to drink a whole bottle of whiskey and find something to kill fast just to make up for the man-points he could feel himself losing.
"Come on, don't be jealous Dean, you can have a hug too." Sam shot back, opening his arms wide in their full and ridiculous wingspan, ignoring how silly he looked both from the gesture and from being sopping wet at the same time.
Another scoff came immediately. "Yeah, I'll pass." The older brother declared, rolling his eyes once again. "And if you two are all done, get inside. I'm not taking care of either one of you if you catch a cold because you decided to have a heart-to-heart in the rain."
"Dean, I can't catch a cold." Castiel stated matter-of-factly, as though clearing up that misconception was the most important thing at the moment. In reality, what was much more important to both of the brothers was that their friend's tone was lighter than they'd heard in what seemed like forever. Castiel sounded almost at ease, at least for the moment.
"Cas, you know what I mean." Dean said, still sounding long-suffering, though his earlier anger was fading fast. "Get in here, both of you." And with that, he turned and disappeared back into the house, leaving the door open for them.
Sam glanced over at Castiel, who stared back with a semblance of the more familiar look of intensity he usually wore replacing the tired, blank look that had haunted his features. A smile lifted the corner of Sam's mouth at the sight. "You heard Dean. Can you stay a bit?"
Castiel seemed to consider it, looking as though he was listening to something no one else could hear, but then gave a graceful nod and a simple answer. "Yes."
The quirked smile became a full one, and Sam reached out to rest a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Okay. Let's go inside before Dean drinks all the beer."
They joined the third member of their trio inside shortly after, and though their time of peace didn't last long before Castiel was needed once again in heaven and the boys received an emergency request for aid from another hunter, it was okay. For that moment at least, they were the team they always had been and always would be. And that moment was enough.
Author: icetippedwings
Genre: Gen
Characters: Sam, Castiel, Dean
Pairings: None (could be Sassy with some squinting though)
Warnings: None
Spoilers: Through 6.15
Wordcount: 1989
A/N: Well, been meaning to get into writing fic for Supernatural for ages now, but only just finally got something finished. First time writing these guys, so don't hesitate to offer up CC or suggestions. I hope you all enjoy. ♥
****
Even now, nearly three years after his first meeting with one, Sam Winchester wasn't entirely sure what he thought about angels.
Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true, because he had a pretty firm opinion on most angels: They were dicks. Dean was completely right on that. As a whole, angels seemed to be vindictive, self-centered, arrogant, and generally unfriendly. For some time, Sam had been greatly disappointed by this; he'd believed in the legends and folklore about angels being righteous, fair, compassionate guardians, and realizing that seemed to be pretty far from the truth had broken his heart a bit. Still, every time he got used to the idea that angels were nothing to look up to, one of them would do something that restored his faith a bit.
Usually, that 'one' was Castiel, better known as Cas, at least to the brothers Winchester. Things had gotten off to a rocky start between Sam and Castiel, even rockier than they had been with Dean and the angel, but over the two years spanning the breaking of the seals and the apocalypse, they had grown close enough to be considered good friends, as far as Sam was concerned (it was hard being certain of Castiel's opinion on anything, as the angel seemed allergic to saying more than one sentence at a time to anyone not named Dean.)
Sometimes, Sam even found himself feeling that same sense of awe he'd had the first time he'd met Castiel, which amazed him a bit considering everything they'd all gone through. But when he really thought about it, he supposed it made sense; Castiel was the only angel that really did exemplify the traits Sam had admired in the idealized notion of angels that he'd had before. That wasn't to say Castiel was all fluffy wings and halos--anything but, really--but he was protective, loyal, brave, and good. Sam didn't have many things he could file under good in his life, and so anything, or anyone, that made that list was pretty much on a pedestal. Permanently.
Mostly, that was why Sam was a little less pissed off than his brother about the con Castiel and Balthazar had just pulled on them. Note, of course, that 'a little less' wasn't 'not', but was enough less that he left the sulking, angrily muttering Dean to his beer for a few minutes to sneak off outside. The storm had died down into simply a heavy rain, and though Sam would probably regret going out into it later, right then it didn't bother him.
They had seen Castiel for only a few minutes after their return to their universe, but Sam had been struck by one thing in particular: Castiel looked tired. It hadn't been the angel's usual stoic calm, or even exasperation; Castiel had looked worn, exhausted, and beaten down despite that this should have been a big win for him. With access to the heavenly weapons the angel had been after, and Balthazar apparently as a new ally, Castiel should have appeared much more satisfied than he had. Sam had the distinct feeling that meant it was just a battle won and not the war, and so Sam couldn't help but worry a bit, plain and simple.
So there he was, outside in the rain, eyes closed as he concentrated. Dean's prayers to Castiel bordered between hilarity and blasphemy, but Sam found it uncomfortable to even consider using 'dick' in a prayer, and his deep-seated respect for angels (or at least Castiel in specific) prompted him to address heaven a bit more reservedly, if not traditionally.
"Castiel, hey." He said quietly, voice swallowed up by the sound of the rain yet knowing full well volume wouldn't matter. "I know we just uh, well, parted on kind of bad terms, but please come back. I want to talk to you, just for a minute."
The familiar fluttering noise that sounded like a combination of feathers and cloth sounded from behind him and Sam turned, a little surprised. He really hadn't expected Castiel to show up, especially not so quickly, but there he was, staring at Sam with the oddly blank look he'd had before in Bobby's living room.
"Hey." Sam repeated intelligently. He hesitated, as though the angel might spook if he didn't pick carefully what to say and how to said it. He wanted to ease into conversation, and intended to suggest they go inside, but instead the first and foremost thing he'd been wondering came blurting out instead. "Are you okay?"
There was, for a moment, almost a look of shock on Castiel's face before it was replaced by a curious look of puzzlement, the angel's brows furrowing slightly and his head tilting a few degrees to the side. It was more expression than Sam had seen from him in awhile, he noted. "Why do you ask?"
To Sam, those words said a hundred things. Sure, Dean and Castiel might share a 'more profound bond' or whatever, but Sam had a talent his brother didn't, and it lay in understanding people. Castiel might be an angel, but Sam could still read him, and to him the question had itself been an answer clear as day.
Sam just gave Castiel a look that he knew full well Dean would have called a bitchface, and made a noise that was almost a sigh. That he was soaked, his wet hair hanging around his face pathetically, only added to the pathetic, exasperated effect. "Cas." He didn't have to say anything else.
Castiel's gaze shifted from Sam's eyes to a nearby car, a signal clear enough that even Dean could read; Castiel was either feeling guilty or about to feel guilty, which meant he was probably about to lie. Confirming the assessment a moment later, Castiel responded, "I'm fine, Sam. You have no reason to be concerned about me."
That prompted a frown from the Winchester, and took a step closer. "Cas, that's kind of hard to believe, since we really have no idea at all what's going on with you." He said, easily managing the line between firm and gentle with his tone and words. "It wasn't just that you and Balthazar used us as a diversion that made Dean and me mad, you know, it was that we were in the dark about it. We don't know what's going on but we keep getting caught up in it, and we're worried, not just about us but about you too."
Eyes flickering back to Sam's, Castiel again looked a little puzzled, apparently attempting to figure Sam out or looking at something that the hunter couldn't see. Probably both, really. It took a minute or so for Castiel to speak again, but Sam didn't press, waiting patiently as the angel studied him before finally stating, "It is safer for you both, the less you know."
"I get that." Sam responded, and he did. The less they knew, the less use they were to Raphael or any of Castiel's enemies, and the more likely they'd be left alone. Only problem was that that wasn't really the issue. "I think I can speak for Dean though when I say we don't care all that much about what's safer for us. We deserve to know what's going on, not just because it affects us but because it affects you too. You're our friend, and we're a team, remember?"
Castiel was once again silent, the sound of rain echoing off of the many cars surrounding them both. Sam wasn't as used to angel staring contests as Dean was, but he was more patient than his brother, so again he waited just waited until Castiel finally spoke again. "I remember." He said simply, and softly, and those few words made the hunter's heart clench a moment in sudden realization.
"You're not alone." Sam said impulsively and intensely sincerely, because it was somehow perfectly clear to him that Castiel needed to know that. "Things may seem bad right now, but we're in this together, all three of us. Always."
The look the angel gave him was as close to stunned as Sam had even seen and, without even thinking about it, Sam moved on instinct and pulled the angel into a hug.
As they'd expected, it was awkward, but it was also nice; Sam held firmly to his friend, who to his surprise hesitantly raised his arms and returned the gesture. Castiel was tense and withdrawn and generally not the best hugger in the universe, but that was okay. Sam could hug enough for both of them, cheek resting gently against the top of Castiel's head, arms tightly around the angel.
And that was the scene Dean Winchester happened upon as he went in search of his brother.
"...Friggin' girls." Dean muttered, rolling his eyes and giving a small shake of his head, pulling another drink from his beer. Geez, when had he traded a brother and a might-as-well-be-brother-though-he-was-still-annoyed-with-him for two sisters? "Hey! Samantha, Cassie!"
Sam let go of Castiel and the two took a few steps away from each other as they parted, their attention turning, as one, to Dean. The older Winchester promptly scoffed and raised his voice to be heard over the rain, and across the short distance from where he stood in the doorway to the house.
"Hugging in the rain? Really?" He teased, but he couldn't even manage any good fake disdain for his tone. The sight had been a surprise, and despite his still-there anger, it had honestly warmed him a bit. Which, upon realizing that fact, promptly caused him to almost gag and decide that the girl cooties must be contagious and had gotten to him already. Dean was going to have to drink a whole bottle of whiskey and find something to kill fast just to make up for the man-points he could feel himself losing.
"Come on, don't be jealous Dean, you can have a hug too." Sam shot back, opening his arms wide in their full and ridiculous wingspan, ignoring how silly he looked both from the gesture and from being sopping wet at the same time.
Another scoff came immediately. "Yeah, I'll pass." The older brother declared, rolling his eyes once again. "And if you two are all done, get inside. I'm not taking care of either one of you if you catch a cold because you decided to have a heart-to-heart in the rain."
"Dean, I can't catch a cold." Castiel stated matter-of-factly, as though clearing up that misconception was the most important thing at the moment. In reality, what was much more important to both of the brothers was that their friend's tone was lighter than they'd heard in what seemed like forever. Castiel sounded almost at ease, at least for the moment.
"Cas, you know what I mean." Dean said, still sounding long-suffering, though his earlier anger was fading fast. "Get in here, both of you." And with that, he turned and disappeared back into the house, leaving the door open for them.
Sam glanced over at Castiel, who stared back with a semblance of the more familiar look of intensity he usually wore replacing the tired, blank look that had haunted his features. A smile lifted the corner of Sam's mouth at the sight. "You heard Dean. Can you stay a bit?"
Castiel seemed to consider it, looking as though he was listening to something no one else could hear, but then gave a graceful nod and a simple answer. "Yes."
The quirked smile became a full one, and Sam reached out to rest a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Okay. Let's go inside before Dean drinks all the beer."
They joined the third member of their trio inside shortly after, and though their time of peace didn't last long before Castiel was needed once again in heaven and the boys received an emergency request for aid from another hunter, it was okay. For that moment at least, they were the team they always had been and always would be. And that moment was enough.